BUIES CREEK, N.C. – A pair of second-half goals lifted the 2011 varsity over a team of former Fighting Camels Saturday in the Campbell University men's soccer alumni game at the Eakes Complex.
Justin Franz, Mitchell Cardenas and Jhuvon Francis scored for the 2011 squad, while Eduardo Rodriguez provided two assists.
Richard Jata, the 2008 Atlantic Sun Conference player of the year and 2nd-team All-American, scored in the 10th minute for the alumni, which included 10 members from Campbell's 2007 team that advanced to the NCAA College Cup.
Twenty-eight former Camels -- including five who earned All-South honors for the Orange & Black – Jata, Buddy Edwards, Rami Kauppi, Andrew Maughan and Vince Petrasso -- returned for Saturday's game.
The varsity struck in the third minute of play when Franz' one-time volley off Rodriguez' service beat 2-time A-Sun defensive player of the year Aaron Johnson.
Just seven minutes later, however, the alumni drew level when Jata and former teammate Pat Danford combined in the box.
The score remained tied until the 69th minute when the varsity went in front for good. Cardenas scored as Rodriguez again provided the final pass on a counter attack down the right flank.
Francis added the final strike in the 80th minute on a serve from Ricki Gaez.
Johnson finished with nine saves over 77 minutes in the alumni nets, while Peter Moore, who started in CU's goal for the first game played at the Eakes Complex in 1986, had three stops in 13 minutes, including a diving effort against Gaez' shot in the final minutes.
Moore's son, Patrick, is a freshman midfielder for the 2011 Camels. Ethan Hall and Ryan Amons split the game in the nets for the varsity and each finished with two saves.
Campbell opens its 2011 regular season on Friday in a 4:00 p.m. kick-off at home against Furman, the team that eliminated CU from the '07 College Cup.
Campbell 3, Alumni 1
Scoring:
CAM (3:00) Justin Franz (Eduardo Rodriguez assist)
ALUM (10:00) Richard Jata (Pat Danford)
CAM (69:00) Mitchell Cardenas (Rodriguez)
CAM (80:00) Jhuvon Francis (Ricki Gaez)
Shots: Alumni 8, Campbell 22
Corner Kicks: Alumni 2, Campbell 5
Saves: Alumni 12 (Aaron Johnson 9, Peter Moore 3); Campbell 4 (Ethan Hall 2, Ryan Amons 2)
Fouls: Alumni 4, Campbell 6
Offside: Alumni 1, Campbell 3
Alumni Starters: Aaron Johnson (GK), Austin Skakle, J.P. Blosser, Matt Lightner, Ryan Freeborn, Justin Madrid, Josh Elliott, Ben York, Pat Danford, Vince Petrasso, Richard Jata.
Alumni Reserves: Archer Abblitt, Eddie Brandle, Alex Bruemmer, Buddy Edwards, Larry Henson, John Izzo, Rami Kauppi, Kris Lamb, Mike Lhotsky, John Maia, Andrew Maughan, Daniel McInnis, Peter Moore (GK), Bob Phillips, Scott Phillips, Roberto Rossi Santos, Rusty Scarborough.
Campbell Starters: Ethan Hall (GK), Eduardo Rodriguez, Aleksi Tossavainen, Travis Golden, Nick Burdett, Scooter Oliver, Mitchell Cardenas, Jonathan Ray, Justin Franz, Keegan Terry, Jonah Powers-Myszka.
Campbell Reserves: Ryan Amons (GK), J.J. Elder, Jared Girard, Ricki Gaez, Ben Iiames, Patrick Moore, Cesar Gonzalez, Bryce Miller, Jhuvon Francis, Michael Wisniewski, Matt Liptak.
